Strengths & Weakness
Self-Awareness Exercise
Key sections from personal career support planning workbook provided for free
by
Andrew Travers
Managing Consultant
Travers Executive Search
Bahnhaldenstrasse 32 CH- 8052 Zürich
+41 44 380 32 72
info@traverssearch.com
Your Name:
Date:
Why Am I Doing This?
Today, it is not easy to stand out, just because you have a good education,
or speak multiple languages, it does not mean you will land a great job or
even get an interview.
There are around 100 qualified candidates out there for every job or
position, at every stage of your career. Every promotion has to be earned.
Someone has to have a reason to trust and invest in you!
You need to know what makes you good, strong and to understand why you
are known for what it is you do or have done.
You have a value, a brand, a reputation and people know this about you, if
you think I am joking, please ask your mother, or your wife, or your
colleagues, the ones who care and can open those “trusted” doors to new
adventures and opportunities.
YOU ALSO NEED TO MAKE A PLAN
THIS IS WHY YOU ARE INVESTING TIME IN YOURSELF
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
What makes you special?
What is your special thing?
What strengths do you have that stand out?
Pepsi and Coca-Cola are strong brands, yet everyday they compete in the
shops or supermarket and battle using their strengths. In a company, there
can only be one Head of R&D, one CTO or CEO, yet many believe they can
run a department or company and are never chosen. Why?
Let us start by looking at the dreaded strengths and weaknesses we all
have.
People with a strong personal brand are clear about who they are. They
know a lot about themselves and maximise their strengths.
Please remember, when you build a personal brand, it will mean asking some
horrible and nasty questions. Not just you thinking what you think, you do
need to ask someone else.
This external feedback can validate what you think or believe to be your
“star” or “best” qualities.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 1
The Outer Layer
1. What was the most successful project that you have ever tackled?
Why was it successful for you?
2. When you worked as part of a team, what was the most important role
you ever fulfilled and why?
3. When you were faced with an overwhelming or really difficult obstacle,
what was the “real” skill you utilized to overcome it?
4. What are the strengths that others acknowledge in you?
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 2
One Inner Layer
1. What skills or strengths are repeatedly mentioned by people about
you?
2. What skills do you enjoy using often, regardless of the types of task
you must work on?
3. What skills have you got which you do not like using very much?
4. Which strengths and skills are going to be the most helpful in your
career?
5. What might be missing? Which skills do you need to build on or have
not had the opportunity to practice to help you in the future.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 3
Your Top 5 Strengths
Simply add in any order your top 5, it could be anything, from “social media
networker,” or “relationship-builder,” to “creative” or “disciplined.”
5.
2.
3.
4.
1.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 3.
Towards The Core “You Need To Ask Someone Else !”
You have given your perspectives and written some things down, yet to
others who may have experience using these skills or strengths, do they
agree?
What are your choices or options?
1. Brave – post your strengths on your social media page and see what
comments or ratings occur when you ask your friends or contacts to rate
the top 3.
2. Very Brave - Use a free tool like Survey Monkey or similar and make a
self-assessment form, asking those who know you to respond. It is
important that these people be honest and tell them this exercise is about
personal development or learning to verify your own profile assessment.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 4
Weakness Is Not a Problem As Long As You Are Aware
Everyone has weaknesses, from Winston Churchill to Roger Federer and
Usain Bolt. These weaknesses might simply be areas where energies have
not focussed on; those areas you think are not so important or just do not
interest you. A weakness can be something harmless, or even worse,
harmful to you or your job.
The source or reason for the weakness could be anything. Examples
include:
1. A lack of interest in the topic: for example, thinking up creative
marketing ideas may be something that just never comes to mind.
2. A need to learn or receive training: maybe you decided not to complete
a course, or get an SAP user certificate. The dislike of being in front of a
keyboard could be a real reason behind this.
3. You just may not be able to handle the work, project or task: you are
human and sometimes it does take more than 1 person or a person with
more time on their hands. Just because someone else did it, does not mean
your personal situation can allow for this.
4. You may be using a strength too much: speaking and communicating
instead of listening. Or overuse: being the go to person could work against
you. Being too flexible or helpful can make you appear indecisive or not
willing to make a decision or commit.
It is really important to know both your strengths and weaknesses,
because only then do you know when to say “no” to those tasks or activities
which do not support you or seem to have real purpose.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 4
Really Get to Know Yourself
We start with a few questions you may know the answer to:
1. What weaknesses have people told me about, or that I am aware of?
2. When playing sport or working in a team, what role do I try to avoid that
may be important to my sports or life goals?
3. When a major obstacle looms, or one I need to avoid because it seems
too great a problem, what causes me to give up? Or - do I know when is the
right time to ask for help?
4. What was the least successful project that I have ever worked on, what
was my role and what problems or issues tripped me up?
What do I think are my top 3 weaknesses? Which ones stop me moving
forward with people or work?
1.
2.
3.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 4
What Do Others See As Your Weakness?
Time again to seek the opinions of others, the truth may hurt, yet at the
same time, it will still be helpful.
1. Did you find any of your identified strengths being listed as a
weakness? If so, please write them here.
2. Did anyone identify a weakness that you were not aware of? If so,
please write it or them down here.
3. Look at the weaknesses listed in 1 and 2, are any in your opinion not
essential to your career goals? Not having a tidy desk may not be a
problem, nor essential, so may not need to be a great focus point for
development.
4.
Which weaknesses are important? Which ones are the ones which you
need to get that next job, promotion or simply help you in the best way?
1.
2.
3.
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com
Step 5
Reducing Your Identified Weaknesses
There are a number of tools easily searchable on the Internet to help you
to develop a small plan to help you address your own weaknesses and to
make them less visible or a problem. One is shown below:
Area
Reduce The
Pain
Manage
Weakness
Overcome
And Get
Stronger
Description
Action Required
Actioned
Think about a team situation, you may be
weak in one area, someone else may be
stronger. Share the activity until you
improve
Focus on those weaknesses which could
be holding you back, expect to not do so
well as working on a topic or project
where you are strong. It takes time to
be good in a weak area.
Try to take on opportunities to build up
your skills. Seek help, find someone who
can give you advice or even support, read
books, the list could be long.
List those activities you
are not good at, speak to
colleague or team member.
( Y / N)
Question 4 of Step 4
should be listed here. How
will you try to manage the
weaknesses identified?
Identify skill building
opportunities and create an
action plan, write them
down, and think about
sharing the points and plan
From the table above, you could go mad. So, list all you think you need and
in the end tick one or two off the list. There is no reason to self-analyse
yourself to infinity or beyond, some people have done so and yet, starting
small with 3 could achieve better long-term results.
What weaknesses would make sense to invest my time in, or would you like
to become a strength?
Weak Skill To Be
Converted
Current Level
Mentor /
Activity
Resources Or
Opportunity
Required
1
2
3
Personal strength and weakness ideas and plan options exercise example
©Provided by: Andrew Travers, Travers Executive Search W: traverssearch.com T: +41 44 380 32 72 E:info@traverssearch.com